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The Historic "General" 



A THRILLING EPISODE OF THE CIVIL WAR 



Copyrighted 1904 
RANDELL W. McBRYDE 



PUBLISHED BY 

MacGOWAIS & COOKE CO. 

CHATTANOOGA. TENN. 



Two CoDles JTeceived 
MAY 25 1904 
^ Copyright Entry 

CLASS ^ XXc. No. 

copy B 







JAMES J. ANDREWS. 



» • • 



•.: • 



INTRODUCTION. 



The historical facts of this narrative were gleaned from pub- 
lished accounts of Mr. William Pittenger and other survivors of 
the Andrews' Raid and from personal interviews with Captain 
William A. Fuller, the leader of the pursuing party, Captain W. 
J. Whitsitt, of Ringgold, Ga., a Confederate officer who assisted 
in the pursuit, and other credible witnesses. 

Care has been taken to record the facts accurately and im- 
partially, and where the statements of the witnesses are at 
variance, preference has been given to the one in best po3ition 
to know. 

To the credit of the participants on both sides, it should be 
said there are very few discrepancies, and the gentlemen of the 
opposing factions seem disposed to accord to each other that 
large measure of praise which is due both to the Invaders and 
the Defenders. 

To Major Hiram A. Butler, of Kennesaw, (Big Shanty) Ga,, 
for the past fifty-five years connected with the Western & At- 
lantic Railroad and now General Road Master of that line, the 
author is indebted for some heretofore unpublished incidents, 
Acknowledgment is also made to Major J. L. McCollum, of At- 
lanta, Ga., the present General Superintendent of the Western 
& Atlantic Railroad, for valuable assistance and for courtesies 
extended to the author in securing data and illustrations. Major 
McCollum was a member of the original Raccoon Roughs, 
organized by General John B. Gordon, and was at the close of 
the war a staff officer under that Chevalier of the Southern Army 
and typical American statesman. 

For the artistic cover design, thanks are extended to Mr. L. 
T. Dickinson, of Chattanooga, who was a private in the First 
Maryland Cavalry and is now Adjutant of the N. B. Forrest 
Camp of Confederate Veterans. 

RANDELL W. McBRYDE. 

Chattanooga, Tenn., 

March 17, 1904. 



Comrades all, of either army— comrades are we all at last — 
We who fought and we who suffered, let us ponder on the past. 
With all trace of hatred banished, with all thought of strife removed 
For the sake of these our brothers, whom we honored, whom we loved. 

Say not then that "I am Northern" or that "I am of the South," 
Let the older ones forget it, teach it not to happy Youth ; 
Let us rather, as the shadows lengthen on our little span. 
Glory only in the title of the true American. 




THE HISTORIC "GENERAL." 

f^^^^^^ORE than forty years have passed, and with 
^ them the bitterness of that strife which di- 
vided this great Nation. 
Commencing with tlie generous words and 
magnanimous deeds of that great soldier, Ulysses S. 
Grant, seconded by the noble exami^le of Robert E. 
Lee, great both in victory and defeat, and followed 
in time by sucli patriots as Grover Cleveland, Henry 
W. Grady, William McKinley and John B. Gordon, 
the gospel of peace and good will has been preached 
throughout the length and breadth of the land, until 
tliere is "no North, no South, no East, and no West," 
and the record of heroic deeds on both sides is read 
with pride as the common heritage of a re-united 
people. 

The little old-fashioned engine "General" stands 
in the Union Depot at Chattanooga, a silent witness 
to the heroism of Americans of '62. You may, if you 
like, sit on the engineer's box and pull the same 
throttle that Knight pulled wide oi^en at Big Shanty 
on the morning of April 12th, 1862, and you are 
strangely lacking in patriotic enthusiasm if you do 
not experience an accelerated surging of the Ameri- 
can blood in your veins. Cold indeed is your heart 
if it does not beat quicker with the memory of the 
valor of your countrymen who manned this engine on 
that memorable race. 

At the be2:innin2: of the war the 



-7- 
one of the latest products of the Rojiers Locomotive 
Works and was reirarded as a fine type of strictly up- 
to-date locomotive. As an evidence that she was 
worthy of tliis name and reputation, it was claimed 
the distance of nine miles between Adairsville and 
Calhoun was covered in seven and one-half minutes 
in the famous race, a speed which compares favor- 
ably with that of engines of the present day and is 
the more remarkable when it is remembered that the 
track was in no way equal to the track of any first- 
class road of today. 

In order to properly appreciate tlie high estimation 
in which such an engine was held in those days, the 
fact should be recalled that each engine was named 
and placed in cliarge of a regular engineer who soon 
became greatly attached to her and regarded her with 
positive affection. In this practical and progressive 
age, engines are regarded only as any other import- 
ant piece of machinery- they are classified and num- 
bered and made to work to their capacity by sending 
them out in turn as rapidly as possible, regardless of 
the engineers who must have rest, or in technical 
parlance, they are placed in the ''Chain Gang." 

'the capture of the ''General" was one of the most 
thrilling episodes of that great war which divided the 
United states for four long, sad years. 

Scout or spy, soldier or raider, call him what you 
will, James J. Andrews was a hero Avho will live in 
history as the man who conceived and undertook the 
most original and daring adventure within the 
enemy's lines during the war, and side by side with 
the name of Andrews will live the name and fame of 



— 8- 
William A. Fuller, the brave, resourceful and relent- 
less pursuer who frustrated the great raider in one 
of the best planned and so far as it was possible, one 
of the best executed raids of history. 

Both men suffered disappointment; Andrews 
died and won — Fuller lived and lost. Both men 
used their talents, their strength and their 
sublime courage to the limit of endurance in 
the discharge of duty. Andrews ''left his bones 
in Dixie" as he said he would unless success crowned 
his efforts and saw, as he had often wished, 
"what was on the other side of Jordan." Fuller 
lived to see a happy reunion of the Blue and the 
Gray and to congratulate the survivors, and comfort 
at least one widow who lived to battle with the world 
alone as the result of ^hat famous raid for the capture 
of a locomotive and the destruction of an important 
railroad line.* 

To understand clearly the importance and prol)- 
able effect of the Andrews Raid, had it suc- 
ceeded, it is necessary to consider the status of the 
war at that time and the position of the Confederate 
armies whose lines were invaded for a distance of 
about two hundred miles by this brave little body of 
men. 

During the first year of the war, remarkable suc- 
cess had followed the armies of the Confederacy 
under General Robert E. Lee, which had the effect of 
arousing the North to a better realization of the mag- 
nitude of the task undertaken by the Federal army 
and at the same time of stimulating; and encoura2;ini>; 



Reference is made to the Grand Army Reunion at Columbus, Ohio, 1889. 



-9— 
the officers and soldiers of the Confederacy. 

In the spring of 1862 the Confederate line of de- 
fense extended from Richmond, Virginia, to Corinth, 
Mississippi, the army at Kichmond being under the 
command of General Joseph E. Johnston, and at 
Corinth under General G. T. Beauregard; the line of 
railroad running from Memphis to Richmond through 
Chattanooga, Knoxville and East Tennessee offered 
the only means of rapid transit between the two 
armies, and the Western & Atlantic Railroad running 
south from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and connecting 
with divergent lines to Charleston, Savannah, Mont- 
gomery, Mobile and New Orleans was therefore of 
supreme importance to the Confederacy for the trans- 
portation of supplies and men. 

The plan conceived by Captain Andrews and sanc- 
tioned by General O. M. Mitchell was to destroy 
several bridges of the old-fashioned wooden covered 
type, thereby cutting off communication between 
Chattanooga and the South, and leaving Chattanooga, 
which was at the time defended by a small force, 
probably three thousand men, under General Led- 
better, a comparatively easy prey to the Union Army. 

James J. Andrews was a native of Hancock County 
Virginia, but located in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, in 
the year 1859 ; he w^as a young man and was seeking 
a position as school teacher, but finding no opportun- 
ity for employment of this kind in Flemingsburg and 
liking the place and people, he began work as a house 
and ornamental painter in which he was said to be 
very skillful. He was also said to have had a beau- 
tiful voice and taujiht singing-school in the evenings, 



—10— 

buf. fate did not intend him for such a quiet, peace- 
ful life and soon after the beginning: of the war, he 
joined the Union forces as a scout. For this branch 
of military service he was singularly well equipped 
by nature ; a fine specimen of physical manhood with 
(juick perception, good judgment, diplomacy, cool- 
ness and unlimited courage. 

The little company of twenty-one men who accom- 
panied him on his dangerous mission w^ere selected 
from various regiments and detailed to report to him 
for orders, but their services Avere not accepted until 
he had explained the character of the work to be un- 
dertaken, the dangers to be encountered, and an op- 
portunity was given to each man to return to his com- 
pany without dishonor, if he preferred to do so. 

They were all accepted by Andrews as volunteers 
to penetrate the enemy's lines in citizen's clothes, 
and Mr. Pittenger, one of tlie survivors, says An- 
drews told them explicitly if they were detected 
by the enemy while in disguise beyond the Federal 
lines, tliey would in all probability be hung as spies. 

The plan and object of tlie raid was explained to 
them in detail at that memorable meeting in tlie 
woods near Shelbyville, Tenn., INIonday night April 
7tli., 1862. After this meeting, the men broke up 
into squads of three or four, and made their way 
through the Confederate lines to Marietta, Georgia, 
to meet Andrews by appointment and start on their 
return trip with the engine on Friday, April 11th. 
They were unable to reach Marietta at the time ap- 
pointed however, and being one day late did not 
start back till Saturday morning April 12th. This 



—11— 

delay, as they afterward learned, was very unfortu- 
nate, as General Mitchell, who was to move onHunts- 
ville, Alabama, on the same day, accomplished his 
purpose and the raiders encountered several obstac- 
les in the way of extra freight trains moving south 
from Chattanooga with supplies. 

The passenger train for Chattanooga left Atlanta 
at 6 a. m. and at Marietta, Captain Andrews and his 
party of nineteen men (two being accidentally left) 
got on board in groups of three or four with tickets 
to different destinations and scattered themselves 
through the train. 

There were three empty box cars next to the en- 
gine and ahead of the coaches, a fortunate circum- 
stance on which the raiders had not counted, but 
which Andrews with his quick perception utilized. 

Now^ came the beginning of the excitement— At 
Big Shanty only seven miles away, the train would 
stop for breakfast and the engine Avould be captured 
or the expedition would fail. 

The name of this station was unique and the stu- 
dent of history Avill naturally regret the change to 
the more euphonious "Kennesaw" of the present 
time, because as "Big Shanty^' it became famous. 
The name originated in the fact that at this point 
were located shanties for the construction force un- 
der Maj. H. A. Butler and being reached by a heavy 
grade the railroad men called it first the "Big 
Grade to the Shanties'' and finally, by an easy evolu- 
tion, "Big Shanty Grade" and "Big Shanty." 

There in sight of a Confederate camp, these tw enty 
men from the Union Armv were to seize the engine 



i.ofc. 




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-13— 
and make good their escape. Think of the odds 
against them ; the desperate chances of life and death 
and the marvelous coolness and self-possession of An- 
drews, who was responsible and must answer for the 
success or failure of the great undertaking and the 
lives of nineteen brave men. None knew so well as 
he the risks to be run but his men knew the plan and 
could form a fair estimate of the danger. They 
scarcely hoped to escape without some resistance. 
They had reason to hope the plan would be executed 
so quickly in the absence of the train crew and pas- 
sengers they could overcome such resistance as might 
be ottered, but a single encounter, a single shot would 
arouse three thousand Confederates and even if they 
escaped with the engine, there would be loss of life 
and the fight begun one hundred and nine miles south 
of Chattanooga with the whole intervening country 
full of their enemies. 

''Big Shanty! Twenty minutes for breakfast." 
Most of the passengers left the train, including 
Andrews and Knight, the engineer, the remainder of 
the party keeping their seats. Every member of the 
train crew^ went to breakfast, leaving the engine and 
train absolutely unprotected except for the presence 
of a few passengers. Now was the crucial time, the 
supreme moment. 

Andrews quietly directed Knight to uncouple the 
train back of the empty freight cars, thus providing 
quarters for his company without disturbing or 
alarming the regular passengers, then with as much 
coolness and deliberation as if he were the regular 
conductor, though with the greatest promptness 



—14— 
and dispatch, loaded his men in the cars, while he, 
with Knight, Wilson and Brown, mounted the engine 
and sped away without a struggle — all of this between 
the Confederate picket lines and in plain view of the 
camp of recruits. 

One precaution was omitted ; they failed to cut the 
bell cord, and when it snapped with the parting of 
the train the gong in the engine cab rang out loud 
and clear. 

There was no telegraph office at Big Shanty and 
Andrews knew it; tlie nearest telegraph station was 



TAOLU MARri THE SPOI AT WHICn Tn 

LOCOMOTIVE 'GENERAL- 



ANDREWS PARTY 




Tablet at Big Shanty (Kennesaw,) Ga. 
Marietta and before a message could possibly l)e sent 
there the wires to Chattanooga would be cut. 

They were off now in fine spirits and with excel- 
lent prospects of success. Captain Andrews having 



—15— 

posted himself as to schedules and meetiiii; points, 
knew exactly what to expect in the ordinary course 
of business and trusted to his nerve and diplomacy to 
give a satisfactory account of himself and pass safely 
the several danger points ahead of them. They had 
barely left Big Shanty, however, when the "General," 
which made such a brave start, commenced to run 
slower and slower and finally came to a full stoi). 
This was, of course, discouraging and somewhat 
alarming, but the engineer found on inspection the 
trouble Avas due to dampers having been closed by 
the regular engineer at Big Shanty, and in his haste 
to get away he had neglected to open tliem. This 
only resulted in a very slight delay, which was 
utilized in obstructing the track and cutting the 
telegraph wires. 

Andrews was now quite confident of success and 
for the first time indicated some excitement, in his 
enthusiasm going l)ack to the box car where the men 
were, shaking hands with them and congratulating 
them on their successful start and bright prospect. 

According to his calculations, tliere was only one 
train likely to give them troul)le ; that was the south 
bound local freight which he knew might be met at 
any point between Big Shanty and Kingston. A red 
flag was placed in proper position on the train to in- 
dicate another section following, and to assist him in 
explanations which might be required of his running 
on the time of the passenger train. Being slightly 
ahead of time on account of their unceremonious 
departure from Big Shanty before waiting for the 
passengers to hnish breakfast, they now traveled 



—16— 

leisurely, not having the slightest fear of pursuit from 
that station and calculating that any pursuit which 
might be made, would be from Atlanta after report 
had been made from Marietta, seven miles south. 

At Moon's Station, they found some section men at 
work and secured tools for use in tearing up rails. 
The engineers were naturally inclined to try the 
speed of the "General," but Andrews cautioned them 
to go slow, the schedule time being only about 
twenty-five miles per hour, the road being full of 
short curves and laid with light iron rails.* 

They ran through Acworth and Allatoona and then 
stopped again to cut the wires and obstruct the 
track. There also for the first time they tore up one 
or more rails from the track with the aid of the tools 
they had captured at Moons ; this proved quite a dif- 
ficult undertaking, but they had, as they thought, 
time to spare, and accomplished their purpose with- 
out being disturbed. The rails, so torn up, were car- 
ried away with them so as to make sure the track 
could not be quickly repaired, and this gave them a 
feeling of absolute security as to pursuit from the 
south. Stopping every now and then to cut w4res, 
obstruct the track or tear up a rail, they at length 
reached Etowah, seventeen miles north of Big Shanty. 

The traveler of today, crossing the Etowah River 
on a modern steel bridge may scarcely notice the 
small stream, so swiftly does it pass in the panorama 
of peach orchards and corn fields seen from the car 
window, but the mountain on the north side, rising 

* Major Butler, Road Master of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, states the 
track was laid with 45 lb. iron rail at that time and there was no such thing as 
ballast. It is now laid with 80 lb. steel rail and ballasted with stone. 



-17- 
abruptly almost, from the river bank, pleases the eye 
of the lover of nature and if he is familiar with the 
story of the "General" he will notice a narrow, red 
line between the river and the mountain, which 
marks the track of an abandoned railroad. This was 
the private line of the Cooper Iron Works, and here, 
standing on a siding. Captain Andrews was surprised 
to see a locomotive under steam. This was the 
"Yonah" and Mr. Knight suggested that she be dis- 
abled and the long, wooden bridge over the river de- 
stroyed, but after some discussion. Captain Andrews 
decided this would be unnecessary and wishing to 
avoid giving any alarm or exciting suspicion so 
early in the race and so far from home, passed on. 

His plan was to burn the Oostanaula bridge at Ke- 
saca, thirty-six miles north and he had no fear of pur- 
suit from the south on account of the track having 
been obstructed and torn up. This he afterwards 
learned was a fatal mistake. 

Passing through Cartersville, just beyond, without 
stopping, they smiled at the surprised and disappoint- 
ed passengers waiting at the station and proceeded 
to Cass, four miles north, where they stopped for 
wood. Here it became necessary for Captain An- 
drews to give an account of himself to William Rus- 
sell, agent of the Eailroad Company, which he did 
in a most skillful and satisfactory manner. He told 
him he had been sent by General Beauregard, who 
was in desperate straits for ammunition, to bring 
a train load of powder through to him at Corinth. 
Had it been necessary, he could no doubt have veri- 
fied this statement by exhibiting f>asses issued b^? 



uaoYce 




MAP OF THE 

WESTERN^^ ATLANTIC 
F^AI L ROAD 



-19- 
General Beaurei>ard himself whom he had met some 
time before in Nashville and from wliom passes had 
been secured as a southern blockade runner to l)ring 
goods from the north through the lines, but Mr. Rus- 
sell did not appear to doubt his story in the least, 
the commanding appearance and self-possessed man- 
ners of Captain Andrews carrying conviction easily 
before him. 

While the Avood was being loaded, Captain Andrews 
conversed freely with Mr. Russell and asked him for 
a time card which was readily furnished, Mr. Russell 
remarking he would ''send his shirt to Beauregard'' 
if the letter wanted it. 

Captain Andrews' feeling of security was now en- 
hanced by the possession of an official time card of 
the road, which, upon inspection, showed Kingston, 
seven miles away, to be the meeting point for the 
local freight they were expecting, and the confidence 
of the luen was also strengthened by the cordial 
reception of. the Beauregard story at Cass. 

They reached Kingston ahead of schedule time and 
seeing at a glance the local freight had not ar- 
rived. Captain Andrews immediately ran his train 
past the st£|tion and ordered the switch tender to 
throw the switch and let them in on the side track, 
which was promptly done. This action, indicating a 
knowledge of the time card and railroad rules, 
undoubtedly saved him some embarrasing questions 
which might have given serious trouble. . . 

So far everything had gone remarkably well with 
the Raiders and they had abundant reason to anticir 
pate clear jailing for the rest of the way and the 



-20— 
triumphant success of their undertaking, but ''the 
best laid phms of mice and men gang aft aglee." 

How about the men left at Big Shanty? Was noth- 
ing being done to stop them in their career? Fortu- 
nately for the Confederacy the passenger train pulled 
by the "General" from Atlanta that morning was in 
charge of a conductor who had rare ([ualities for meet- 
ing this extraordinary emergency, and when William 
A. Fuller heard the gong on his engine ring and saw 
through the window of the eating house, as he sat at 
breakfast, his engine and three cars disappearing, he 
immediately ran out and commenced pursuit on foot 
followed by Mr. Anthony Murphy, Master Mechanic 
of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and Mr. Jeff 
Cain, engineer; Mr Murphy having first dispatched 
William Kendrick on horseback to Marietta to notify 
the Atlanta office by wire. However absurd the pur- 
suit of a locomotive on foot may have appeared to the 
ordinary spectator, it was soon evident that Captain 
Fuller's prompt effort with the only means at hand, 
was not entirely due to impulse, but to a distinct 
plan of pursuit instantly conceived and executed. 
Neither he nor his comrades, however, knew at this 
time who had captured the engine, and did not imagine 
these men were Federal soldiers in disguise ; the first 
idea being that the engine had been taken by some 
fugitive southern soldiers who had deserted and were 
trying to escape. 

Captain Fuller ran at the very limit of his speed for 
two and one-half miles to Moon's Station, where he 
met Jack Bond, section foreman, and a gang of men, 
from whom he learned the men who passed on the 



-21- 
"General" numbered twenty-four or twenty-five; this^ 
was quite a surprise, as it liad heen reported at the 
station tliere were only four men, the remainder of 
the party having entered a box car without attract- 
ing any particuhir attention and concealed themselves. 
He was also informed these men had seized the tools 
of the section men, cut the telegraph wires and car- 




A Modern Railroad — View Looking North From the Tunnel- 
Village of Tunnel Hill in the distance. 

ried away about one hundred yards of the wire. This 
convinced him they were Union soldiers in disguise, 
or, quoting his own language, he ''knew at once it 
was a Yankee trick," and fired his zeal to pursue and 
capture them. 

So swiftly had he run that Mr. Murphy and Mr. 



—22— 
Caiu were considerably behind, and assisted by Mr. 
Bond and tWc) of his men, he returned on a hand car 
to ]3ick them up, resuming the chase under somewhat 
better conditions. It should be remembered this was 
not such a handcar or velocipede as is used by track 
men of the present day. but was propelled by poles 
or by hand. Two of the men ran on the ground and 
pushed the car while the others rode, taking turns at 
the pushing. Such a thing as a lever car was in those 
days a luxury undreamed of, and the common prac- 
tice of section men was to sit on the ends and propel 
the cars by kicking the ties.* 

Captain Fuller now explained his plan, which was 
to push on as rapidly as possible and endeavor to 
ireach Etowah before the Yonah left that station. 
'They soon came to the break in the track and carried 
'their car over. 

1 At Acworth they secured double-barreled shot- 
iguns, but Captain huller says he did not have time 
all day to examine his to see whether or not it w^as 
loaded. PresWiaig on, they came in sight of Etowah, 
where, to theirHgreat delight, the Yonah was stand- 
ing under steam, but at the same moment another 
break in the track which they failed to see jn time, 
threw them all pell-mell into the ditch. They were 
too much elated at the sight of the engine to pay 
much attention to so insignificant a catastrophe and 
picking up themselves and the car, they again got on 
the track and hurried on to Etowah. Here they se- 
cured the engine immediately, with a coal car at- 

* Major Butler says he has kicked a car in this manner many a mile on this 
road. 



—23- 
tacyhed, and took on six or eiiiht Confederate soldiers 
who v^olimteered to assist in the chase. Captain Fid- 
ler states the distance of fourteen miles from Etowah 
to Kingston was run in fifteen minutes and hetreached 
that station a few minutes after the departure of 
Captain Andrews and the ''General." Here to their 
great annoyance, they found several long freight 
trains standing on the main line which had been run 
past the station at the urgent demand of Captain An- 
drew's to make way for his "train of powder for Gen- 
eral Beauregard,'' and here again Captain Fuller dis- 
played his wonderful ({uickness of perception and 
natural resourcefulness. Abandoning the Yonah, he 
ran again on foot, more than two miles to the north 
end of the town to a point where the Kome Eailroad 
intersected the Western & Atlantic. In this race he 
lost his volunteers but found the Rome engine as he 
had hoped, and renewed the pursuit, taking his stand 
on the pih)t to look out for obstacles and give signals 
to the engineer. 

At Kingston, Captain Andrews and his company 
were delayed one hour and five minutes, having had 
to wait for the arrival of three freiglit trains instead 
of one as he expected, the second and third sections 
being extra trains, carrying provisions out of Chat- 
tanooga, on account of the advance of General Mit- 
chell to Huntsville the day before. Here also he was 
subjected to a great deal of questioning and his 
''Beauregard powder story" excited some incredul- 
ity on account of the movement of rolling stock and 
goods out of Chattanooga to the South. To this he 
responded, he did. not believe the story of the 



—24- 

capture of Huntsville by General Mitchell, who was 
not fool enough to run down there, but if he did, 
Beauregard was more than a match for him. ''At 
any rate," said he, *'I have my orders." 

As the delay increased and Andrews was more and 
more pressed, his men were warned to be ready to 
jump out on signal and fight if necessary ; and weary 
of the long suspense shut up in the box-car, they 
would have welcomed an opportunity to fight, but the 
coolness and diplomacy of their leader prevailed and 
they finally made a safe start from Kingston, still 
confident of success. They had no idea they were 
being pursued, much less that their relentless pur- 
suer Avas only four minutes behind them. 

Soon after they left Kingston, they stopped to cut 
the telegraph wires again and place a few obstruc- 
tions on the track, and having done so, Captain An- 
drews, weary of the delay, gave orders to his engine 
crew, " push her, boys; push her!" This was wel- 
come news to all, and they rushed on to Adairsville, 
ten miles north, where they were to meet two trains 
noAV over-due. It was considered necessary, how- 
ever, in view of the several trains they had passed 
and the suspicions which had been aroused, to stop 
again and tear up a portion of track ; here also they 
cut the wires and loaded up a large number of cross- 
ties, as well as other wood, to be used as fuel and for 
burning the Oostanaula bridge. While so engaged, 
they heard for the first time the faint but unmistak- 
able sound of the whistle of a locomotive in pursuit; 
this, of course, made it more important than ever to 
make a break in the track which they finally sue- 



—25- 
ceeded in doing and carried off the rail with them. 

Once more tliey were off with a full head of steam 
and going at a mad rate of speed, anxious to meet 
and pass the two trains at Adairsville as quickly as 
possible, and uneasy too, because of the suspicion of 
pursuit and uncertainty as to the character or num- 
bers of their pursuers. 

The men in the box-car were pitched from side to 
side very roughly, but found the rapid motion exhil- 
arating and enjoyed the consciousness of lengthening 
the distance from their enemies and shortening the 
distance to their friends in Tennessee. 

As they came in sight of the station at Adairsville, 
they rejoiced to find the freight train they had ex- 
pected, standing on the siding, waiting for them. 
Stopping on the main line opposite the station and 
alongside of the freight train. Captain Andrews 
again had to run the gauntlet of questions in regard 
to his train and the regular passenger train whose 
schedule he was representing. Here also he heard 
news of General Mitchell's operations, some of the 
reports, as might be expected, being greatly exagger- 
ated, but it was quite* evident Chattanooga was panic 
stricken. 

He learned from the conductor of the south-bound 
freight train that while the south-bound passenger 
train Avas scheduled to pass him at this station, the 
limit of time he was required to wait under the time- 
card rules had exi^ired and he had determined to pull 
out at once, leaving word for the passenger train to 
pass him at Kingston. This suited Andrews exactly, 
and he promptly expressed his approval and told the 



—26— 
coiuliictor Fuller would probably: rwait for him at 
Kingston, his idea evidently bein^' to wreck the train 
wliere the rail had been lifted. Upon the conductor 
suirgesting Andrews would of course remain at 
Adairsville until the arrival of the south-bound pas- 
senger train, he said "No,^' explaining that the fate 
of Beauregard's army depended on his getting 
through quickly with the powder. This aroused the 
patriotism of the conductor who told him then to go 
ahead by all means ])ut cautioned him to run very 
slow and flag around every curve to avoid collision. 
Andrews indicated his assent but immediately started 
for the nine mile run to Calhoun with instructions to 
his engineer to make the engine show her speed and 
run as fast as possible. 

In the mean time Captain Fuller left Kingston as 
described, on the pilot of the Rome engine, running 
as fast as possible wherever he found a clear track 
but continually on the outlook for obstructions and 
stopping every now and then to move cross-ties that 
had been thrown out by the raiders until they came 
to the point where the rail had been lifted and car- 
ried away, which, of course, presented an impassable 
barrier. Knowing the schedule of the road as he 
did, and recalling instantly the fact that a south- 
bound freight train was then due at Adairsville, 
four miles north, he lost no time in considering 
what Avas to be done, but unhesitatingly abandoned 
the Rome engine and called for volunteers for an- 
other foot-race. According to his own account, Mr. 
Anthony Murphy was the only man who joined him, 
and after a three-mile run over wet and slippery 



-27— 
ii^round, they met the freight train, with twenty-one 
cars. As soon as the engineer saw them, he reversed his 
engine, being somewhat suspicious, after reflection, 
of the strange actions of Andrews and the extraordi- 
nary statement made by him at Adairsville, and 
scarcely waiting for explanations, the freight train 
was backed to Adairsville, the cars dropped on the 
siding, and the pursuit renewed. 

Captain Fuller had taken his position on top of the 
head car as the train backed into Adairsville, and 
jumping off before they reached the switch, quickly 
threw it to the siding, then uncoupling the cars from 
the engine and throwing the switch back after they 
•were safely on the siding, mounted the engine with- 
out coming to a stop. 80 quickly was this done 
the cars on the siding were still rolling when the 
engine passed them on the start for Calhoun. 

They now had the ''Texas," a Danforth & Cooke en- 
gine, headed towards Atlanta and for the fir^t time 
found it necessary to run backwards. It was also 
evident that Andrews, with the "General," had 
gained considera])ly ^)n them during the three-mile 
foot race. 

Captain Fuller now had with him, besides Mr. 
Murphy, Peter .1. Bracken, engineer; Fleming Cox, 
fireman; Alonzo Martin, wood-passer, and Henry 
Haney, acting brakeman, the four last being the crew 
of the "Texas." 

The race was now on in earnest. Fuller, of course, 
had learned of the movements of the raiders at each 
station he had passed and knew about how far they 
were ahead of him, while Andrews knew he was 



-28- 
being closely pursued and was also in danger of a 
head-on collision with the south-bound passenger 
train, on whose time he was now running, taking des- 
perate chances of reaching Calhoun before that train 
left. It was important for Fuller to over-take them 
as quickly as possible in order to prevent further 
destruction of track or the burning of bridges which 
would have barred his progress entirely. There was 
but one more engine on the road besides the "Gen- 
eral" between him and Chattanooga, and if Andrews 
should succeed in tearing up the track or destroying 
a bridge north of this engine the race would be his. 
Both men evidently understood the situation thor- 
oughly and the "General" and the "Texas" were 
made to run as fast as wheels would turn between 
Adairsville and Calhoun. Andrews noAv showed 
great anxiety and is said to have stood with his watch 
in his hand, urging his men to make the best speed 
possible. Engineers William Knight and W. W. 
Brown, and fireman J. A. Wilson responded bravely 
and loyally, and even the "General" seemed to be in 
sympathy with them and fairly flew over the track, 
leaping and bounding like a thing of life, and reeling 
from side to side as the rough places in the track 
were struck and safely passed. The men on the 
engine, of course, understood the dangers before and 
behind as much as Andrews did, though none of tbem 
knew who were their pursuers ; they knew the des- 
perate chances of life and death they were taking 
and enjoyed the excitement, but the men in the box 
car were not so well posted and to them the situation 
was most trvinjj. Thev were tossed from side to side 



-29- 
in the car, and while tlie door was sometimes opened 
for out look, they couhl only open it partially for 
fear of beinji; pitched out head-long. It seemed the 
car would certainly leave the track and a terrible 
wreck was momentarily expected. Captain An- 
drews stated the run of nine miles to Calhoun was 
made in seven and a half minutes. Captain Fuller, 
following him on the ''Texas,'' states they ran nearly 
a mile a minute. 

Coming in sight of Calhoun the crew of the " Gen- 
eral," running at this terrific rate of speed, saw the 
passenger train just starting to leave the station, but 
the engineer of that train, hearing their loud whistle 
and seeing them coming, quickly backed up north of 
the switch, which he threw and turned Andrews' 
train in on the siding. In backing up, however, he 
had fouled the north switch, nuiking it impossible 
for Andrews' train to proceed until his train moved 
out of the way. The crew of the passenger train 
now demanded an explanation, evidently alarmed at 
the narrow escape they had made from a horrible 
collision. Andrews would not have stopped to ex- 
plain except that he could not get away until the 
other train moved, and w as of course in great danger on 
account of no wires having been cut between Adairs- 
ville and Calhoun, nor any obstructions having been 
placed on the track, but he calmly told the Beaure- 
gard powdor story again. This conductor was not so 
ready as others to accept his explanation of the mat- 
ter and could by no means be induced to start south 
to meet the north bound train at Adairsville; futher- 
more, he was in no hurry to move his train down far 



—so- 
enough to clear the north switch and let this wild 
train out.. Captain Andrews, however, was equal to 
the occasion, and after explaining the urgency of his 
orders to get through with the powder, made a posi- 
tive demand that his train be let out, which was 
done. Here again a fight was narrowly averted, as 
had the conductor remained obstinate, it w^ould have 
been necessary to use force to avoid delay. 

Again they were off with no more trains to pass 
and the only thing to fear was the pursuing engine 
they had heard the first and only time between 
Kingston and Adairsville. It was only six miles to 
the Oostanaula bridge at Resaca and if they couUl suc- 
ceed in destroying this bridge, the race would l)e 
won. Wires woukl be cut and other bridges burned, 
and from the news they had heard along the line as to 
the movements of General Mitchell and the condition 
of affairs in Chattanooga, the prospects seemed ex- 
cellent of getting through to the Northern lines. 

At Calhoun, Captain Fuller recognized a boy, whom 
he knew to be the telegraph operator from Dalton, 
who had come this far looking for the break in the 
wires, and slowing up as they passed the station, took 
him by the hand and lifted him into the tender. As 
they sped on their way he wrote a telegram to Gen- 
eral Ledbetter at Chattanooga informing him of the 
capture of the "General," and warning him to look 
out for the captors wlio were evidently Federals in 
disguise. 

It was his intention to send this telegram from 
Dalton, twenty-two miles north, and he hoped to fol- 
low the " General " so closely as to prevent any fur- 



-31— 
ther destruction of track or cutting of wires. 

The train both Andrews and Fuller passed at Cal- 
houn had as passengers Capt. W. J. Whitsitt, of the 
First Georgia Confederate Volunteers, who with ten 
armed soldiers, was returning to his command at 
Mobile, in charge of a number of recruits from Ring- 
gold and vicinity. Suspicion being already aroused 
by the passing of Andrews, a brief explanation from 
Fuller sufficed to give the alarm, and Capt. Whitsitt 
with his ten regular soldiers, boarded the tender of 
the engine and followed the '' Texas " closely in the 
race the remainder of the distance. 

Andrews ran at a good rate of speed for about two 
and a half miles from Calhoun, when he stopped 
again to cut the wires and tear up a rail, so as to 
make sure of cutting off pursuit until they could de- 
stroy the Oostanaula bridge, now just ahead of them, 
according to the original plan. His men responded 
quickly and cheerfully and Mr. 8cott, who had all 
along been climbing the telegraph poles and cutting 
wires, was more agile than ever. Animated by au 
earnest desire for the success of their undertaking 
and stimulated by knowledge of the danger, they put 
forth their best efforts, knowing this would be the 
last work of the kind they would be called upon to do, 
for when once the Oostanaula bridge should be de- 
stroyed, further pursuit by rail from the South would 
be impossible, and they were confident no news had 
gone to Chattanooga as yet to betray them. 

The crisis was now at hand ; one more supreme ef- 
fort and the victory would be won. Everything was 
soaking wet, however, and the burning of the bridge 



-32— 

might be no easy matter, as in spite of the fact that 
it was an old wooden structure, it might require more 
time than they could spare. Here for the first time, 
according to accounts given by the survivors, An- 
drews showed real impatience ; it seemed the rail 
would never come up. Tearing off his high hat and 
cape, he snatched a tool from the hands of the man 
who was wielding it and those who saw him said they 
had never before seen blows rained with such precis- 
ion and force. Just then they heard the loud and 
clear whistle of the pursuing engine ; it was evidently 
near and running at terrific speed; there was not a 
moment to lose — every nerve and muscle was strain- 
ed to its utmost tension, but only one end of the rail 
was loosened ; not another moment could be spared, 
so the loose end of the rail was propped up under a 
fence-rail, the men leaped into the car and with a 
bound that nearly threw them from their feet, the 
'' General '^ was off again. 

Now, for the first time, Capt. Fuller and his men 
were in sight ; there were only seven in his party ; 
Mr. Murphy, the four members of the crew^ of the 
" Texas,'' and the operator picked up at Calhoun, but 
they were armed with guns and no doubt presented a 
formidable appearance as they dashed into view. 
Andrews' men of course were only armed with pistols 
and not prepared for a fight at long range. For- 
tunately for Capt. Fuller, the " Texas " mounted and 
pressed the displaced rail into position without 
leaving the track, for it was impossible for him to 
stop after this was observed and their escape from a 
wreck at this time was certainly marvelous. All hope 



-33- 
of burning the bridge being now gone, Andrews' last 
hope was in some way to derail or disable the pur- 
suing engine, and uncoupling his rear car and revers- 
ing the engine, he undertook to hurl the car as a 
projectile against the "Texas.'' This was unsuc- 
cessful, as the "Texas" promptly slowed up, Capt. 
Fuller coupled to the car and continued the pursuit. 

The raiders had loaded their fuel for burning the 
bridge in the last car and this Avas lost, but was now 
of no consequence as they would certainly not be able 
to accomplish their purpose. The cross-ties they had 
picked up were in the second car and they now 
punched out the rear end of this and commenced 
dropping ties on the track with the hope of derailing 
the "Texas." According to Mr. Pittenger, these 
ties showed a perverse disposition to roll off the track 
and though enough remained to increase the caution 
and slacken the speed of their pursuers, the "Texas" 
w^as keeping uncomfortably close to them and for the 
first time the raiders began to feel despondent. Mis- 
fortune seemed to have followed them from the start. 
By diplomacy, courage, perseverance and hard work 
they had so far overcome every obstacle in their way 
and had repeatedly placed, as they hoped, insur- 
mountable obstacles behind them, but their pursuers 
had been equally fearless, equally resourceful and 
were evidently tireless and relentless. Crossing the 
trestle, just south of the bridge, they dropped their 
second car, but unfortunately without any attempt to 
derail it and it proved only a small obstacle to the 
pursuers. 

Andrews has been criticised for not derailing this 



—Si- 
car, but it is Avell known to railroad men that while 
cars are frequently derailed from apparently trifling- 
causes, it is no easy matter to derail one on a straight 
track without tools and without technical knowledge 
of such matters, and when it is remembered how 
closely he was being pursued by an armed party, 
whose numbers he did not know, there is no room for 
censure or reflection upon him for failure to take 
more precautions to insure success. 

Passing through Resaca, the "Texas" was in hot 
pursuit, and dropping the two cars abandoned b}^ the 
"General" on the side-track, the race was continued 
with only the light engine. The two engines were 
about evenly matched in size and capacity, and both 
were being run at the utmost speed of which they 
were capable, the "Texas" being under slight disad- 
vantage on account of running backwards and in con- 
stant danger of derailment from the ties which An- 
drews' men were still dropping on the track. 

After passing Resaca, Andrews stopped long enough 
to cut the wires again, being uncertain as whether or 
not there was a telegraph ofiice at that station, and, 
having no time to undertake the tearing up a rail, 
they took one they had previously lifted and loaded 
on the car next to the engine and placed it diagonally 
across the track, one end being under the rail on one 
side andjthe other on top the rail at the other side. 
Andrews evidently had strong hopes that this last 
obstacle would surely derail the pursuing engine and 
according to every rule and precedent, this should 
have been the result. 

This section of the country is quite hilly and the 



-35- 
road is full of curves. At each little stretch of 
straight track the "Texas'' would come in siglit only to 
disappear again as the "General " rounded the liext 
hill and was hid behind the green foliage of the beau- 
tiful North Georgia forests. 

Near Tilton, six miles north of Resaca, was a wood 
station called Greens, and here in dire necessity 
Andrews stopped for wood ; hurriedly, almost fran- 
tically, working for their lives, a partial supply was 
secured and the track obstructed as much as possible 
so as to make a full stop necessary for their pursuers. 
Captain Fuller and the "Texas" seemed to have 
charmed lives; their pursuit was too rapid to stop, 
where just around a curve the rail was laid diago- 
nally across the track, until, in some miraculous 
manner, the wheels of the tender mounted and passed 
over without derailment. They succeeded in stop- 
ping then, Captain Fuller pulled the rail off the 
track between the engine and tender and the race 
went on, only delayed now and again by the necessity 
of removing crossties. 

Captain Fuller all this time was riding on the end 
of the tender and his Avonderful skill in jumping 
down and removing the ties when necessary saved his 
engine and won the race. 

Passing Tilton safely Andrews reached the tank a 
short distance north and was again compelled to stop 
for water. An explanation being necessary, the same 
old "pow^der story" was told, and notwithstanding the 
battered condition of the one car attached to the en- 
gine, it answered the purpose, and water was secured 
Avithout resistance. While this was being done, a 



-36- 
few of the men went back a short distance and ob- 
structed the track, to insure another full stop, of the 
'' Texas " out of gun shot range. 

Off again with water and wood and a good head of 
steam, they iDlaced obstacles on the track at frequent 
intervals and selected a i)lace to stop for a permanent 
break ; again the wires were cut and ties heaped on 
the track, while the remainder of the men set to work 
with all their might to tear up a rail. It was at this 
time one of the men suggested an attack on the pur- 
suers from ambush, but while Andrews was consider- 
ing the plan, again came the ominous sound of the 
whistle of the pursuing engine and both the effort to 
tear up the rail and the plan to attack their pursuers 
were abandoned and the race renewed. The fugitives 
and pursuers were now frequently in sight of each 
other, but never in range for the guns of that day. 
With the aid of additional obstacles on the track, 
Andrews managed to increase the distance from his 
pursuers sufficiently to gain time to get through the 
next station which was Dalton, and that being a 
junction point with numerous sidings, it was of course 
necessary to stop long enough to make sure SAvitches 
were properly set. Here he made his explanations 
very briefly and escaped safely. 

Captain Fuller reached Dalton a few minutes later 
and thanks to the precaution of writing his telegram 
to General Ledbetter in advance and the efficiency 
of his boy operator, Edward Henderson, dispatched 
the message without delay, but not a moment too 
soon, for as the last word was recorded and before 
Chattanooga had acknowledged it with the customary 



—37- 
O. K., tlie wire went down, havin*i' been cut by the 
active and alert Scott about two miles north. 

The "Texas" had only slowed up to drop the oper- 
ator, Capt. Fuller understanding thoroughly the dan- 
ger of the fugitives burning bridges and otherwise 
destroying the road between him and Chattanooga 
and pushing on with all possible si)eed. Andrews 
stopped, as it hapi)ened, quite near Col. Jesse (^lenn's 
regiment of Confederate soldiers to cut wires and ob- 
struct the track, but there was no time to seek a place 
of greater safety and they proceeded as usual in a 
desperate effort to lift a rail. They counted on their 
pursuer stopping at Dalton to send a message and 
hoped not only to intercept this message but to gain 
time while he stopped. Here again they failed to 
measure accurately the character of their enemy — 
they did not know Fuller. While they struggled with 
the rail, again the "Texas'' was upon them and the 
race for life renewed. And such a race ! Think of 
the best horse race you ever saw I Think of General 
Wallace's magnificent and realistic description of the 
Chariot Race of Ben Hur I Think of the strain and 
tension of muscle and nerve you have witnessed and 
experienced in merely observing such contests for 
supremacy, and then imagine if you can how vastly 
greater must have been the excitement of participa- 
tion in this race of locomotives with the fate of men 
and perhaps a nation, as the issue. Puffing and 
snorting, liissing and screaming, leaping and bound- 
ing, on the engines went, the men heedless of danger, 
w^iile fire and smoke belched forth and sparks flew 
from wheels and track. The fuiiitives looking back 



—38- 
anxioiisly and watchiiii; the coininsi. foe, wliile strain- 
iiiii, every nerve to increase their speed and racking 
their brains for some new expedient to hinder or de- 
stroy their pnrsners. Success, reputation and last 
and perhaps least of all life, Avere the stakes. 

Those in the rear looking forward with strained 
vision and exerting every energy to foil the daring 




South entrance to tunnel. 
enemy who for more than seventy miles had evaded 
and escaped them. All thought of danger was gone 
— ''Success — the goal of human ambition," was the 
paramount consideration. Andrews, intent on burn- 
ing the first Chickamauga bridge, twelve miles north 
of Dalton, and Fuller determined to prevent him. 



—39— 
Seven miles north of Dalton was a tunnel. Airain 
Andrews' men thou2;ht of ambnsh, now apparently 
the last resource. What an ideal place for ambush! 
But no word came from the silent and anxious leader 
and on the "Generar' sped through the tunnel and 
past the little village of Tunnel Hill. 




Nc rth nil ut!i of the tunnel. 



As the "Texas'' approached the tunnel, Mr. Mur- 
phy called attention to the danger of ambush, but 
Fuller would not consent even to slacken speed and 
into that smoke-filled hole in the ground they plunged 
as into the bowels of the earth, reckless of what 
might be within or beyond it. 



-40- 

From the Southern standpoint, too much can not 
be said for the faithful and coura2;eous engineer, 
Peter J. Bracken, who so ably and fearlessly sup- 
ported Captain Fuller from Adairsville to the end of 
the race. The horrors of a wreck in a tunnel can be 
imagined and the men on the "Texas" well knew the 
danger of following so closely a desperate foe, who 
had all along been obstructing the track. The only 
exphmation of their taking: this fearful risk is that 
they, like Andrews and his brave men, were ani- 
mated in the highest degree by that wonderful Amer- 
ican patriotism which knows uo fear. The light 
shone clear at the north end and Peter Bracken ex- 
claimed "Boys, we've got 'em now!" 

And now came the last effort of the ill-fated An- 
drews. He ordered his one remaining car fired as they 
ran and the men obeyed with their usual zeal, using 
the last wood they had, with splinters torn from the 
walls of the car, to start the fire. This was slow work 
on account of everything being wet, and some blazing 
torches were taken from the engine and over the 
tender. Finally the blaze started and the men crowded 
on to the tender. At the first Ohickamauga bridge the 
"General" came to a full stop, cut loose, and left the 
burning car to consume it. Oh, for a few minutes 
time! How anxiously they waited on the north side 
to watch the result of their last effort. 

But here comes the inexorable Fuller again, and 
again the "General" files. Coupling to the burning 
car. Fuller drops it on the side-track at Ringgold, just 
beyond, and doggedly resumed the chase. At Ring- 
gold the alarm is given to the local militia and hope 



—41— 

is gone for the poor raiders. The anumiiiition of their 
fight was spent — without wood there couhl he no 
steam, and three miles beyond tlie race ended in the 
scattered lliglit of the fugitives on foot. Abandon- 
ing the "General," she was reversed with tlie hope of 
wreckinir lierself and the "Texas," l)ut this, too, failed 




Ringgold Depot — shelled from the heights in the background during 

the war but not destroyed. 

The stone walls are the same that stood then. 



as the power of the grand ohl engine was spent, and 
the "Texas,'' slowing up, ciuickly coupled to her and 
towed her back to Ringgold. 

The command given by Captain Andrews was, 
"Scatter in small parties and escape tlie best you 
can." 



—42— 

This was a great disappointment to the soldiers who 
had followed him so loyally to this moment and had 
all along lioped for an opportunity to fight. 

Mr. Andrews, while not lacking in courage, had no 
military training, and was by nature more of a strat- 
egist than a soldier, Avhile his followers were all men 
from the ranks enlisted to fight and anxious to fight. 
These men were soldiers 

" Millin' and drillin' and made for killin', 
Regular army men." 

They scattered in various directions and some 
nearly reached the Federal lines, but all were cap- 
tured, including the two left at Marietta ; eight, in- 
cluding Andrews, were executed in Atlanta, eight 
escaped from x)rison and six were exchanged. 

'* The boasts of heraldry, the pomp of power, 
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, 

Await alike the inevitable hour, 

The paths of glory lead but to the grave." 





Tablet near Ringgold. 



—44— 



^'^^HE Andrews raid was great in its conception, 
%^ great in the accnracy of prearranged details, 
and great in its execntion in spite of failure in 
the results. 

The plan was iDerfect, the selection of men as 
nearly perfect as possible, and the conduct of the 
affair admirable. 

Every reasonable i^recaution was taken to insure 
success and emergencies unforeseen were met with 
rare judgment, tact and skill. 

Not only did Captain Andrews command the expe- 
dition skillfully, but every man of his little company 
responded loyally and bravely at each step. There is 
not the slightest evidence in the testimony of any 
witness that courage failed or loyalty wavered in a 
single man during any of the varied trials of that 
perilous journey and marvelous race. 

Post-bellum critics may find fault and wonder that 
certain, now obvious, precautions were not taken, 
but the greatest of human minds has its limitations 
and taking all the conditions and circumstances into 
consideration, the reader of this history who is fair 
can only marvel that so much was remembered and 
so little forgotten. 

Failure was unquestionably due to the fact that on 
that 12th day of April, 1862,' "Greek met Greek"— a 



—45— 
brave American from Kentucky met a brave Ameri- 
can from Georgia. It was the In-ain of Andrews 
against the brain of Fuller— the courage of Andrews 
against the courage of Fuller, and fortune favored 
the Georgian. 

Two years later the victorious army of General 
Sherman passed south over the track of the "Gen- 
eral " and retrieved the failure of the Andrews' Raid. 

The " General " Avas under lire of the Federal bat- 
teries during the great battle of Kennesaw Mountain, 
June 27th, 1864, and was finally captured in Atlanta, 
where she Avas abandoned by the retreating army 
on account of some slight accident resulting in derail- 
ment in the Western & Atlantic yards in that city. 

Other motive power and equipment of the road^vas 
moved further south at this time and the track behind 
them destroyed by Major H. A. Butler, Avho relates 
the final capture of the " General " as an interesting 
coincidence. 

The Western & Atlantic Road was then, as now, 
the property of the State of Georgia, and the operat- 
ing officials and men were regularly enlisted in the 
Confederate service and assigned to their respective 
duties subject to the military authority. 

Major Butler says the engine Avas returned to the 
State after the Avar in excellent condition, liaA^ing 
been thoroughly overhauled in some Northern shop. 

The "General" was on exhibition in Columbus, 
Ohio, at the Grand Army Reunion in September,^ 
1889, and has also been at several expositions, includ- 
ing the World's Fair in 18.93. The old engine is 
highly prized by the lessees of the Western and 



—46— 
Atlantic Railroad, and is in charge of a custodian 
employed by the railroad company in the Union 
depot at Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

By authority of the Congress of the United States, 
gold medals were presented to each of the survivors 
of the Andrews Raid, these being the first medals 
given to private soldiers in tlie war. 




Monument in National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tenn. 

On a beautiful eastern slope in the National Cem- 
etery at Chattanooga by the side of the drive-way 
and near a graceful weeping willow, the eight graves 
of Andrews and the other seven men who were exe- 
cuted in Atlanta, are placed in a semi-circle in front 



—47— 
of a handsome monument erected by the State of 
Ohio in 1890. A bronze miniature of tlie engine 
"General'- surmounts this monument and the front 
of the die bears this inscription : 

"Ohio's tribute to the Andrews Raiders, 1802. 
erected 1890." 

On the left of tlie die are the names of those who 
were executed in Atlanta June 18th, 1862, as follows : 

James J. Andrews, Flemingsburg, Ky. 

Marion A. Ross, Co. A, 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

George D. Wilson, Co. B, 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

Perry G. Shadrack, Co. K, 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

John W. Scott, Co. F, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 

Samuel Slavens, Co. E, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

Samuel Robertson, Co. G, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

William H. Campbell, Salineville, Ohio. 

On the right are the names of the eight who es- 
caped from Atlanta October 16th, 1862, as follows : 
James A. Wilson, Co. C, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
Mark Wood, Co. C, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
J. R. Porter, Co. C, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
W. W. Brown, Co. F, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
William Knight, Co. E, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
D. A. Dorsey, Co. H, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 
Martin J. Hawkins, Co. A, 33rd Oliio Vol. Inf. 
John Wollam, Co. C, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 

On the rear are the names of those exchanged from 
Libby Prison, March 18th, 1863, as follows : 
William Pittenger, Co. G, 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf. 
Jacob Parrott, Co. K, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 
William Roddick, Co. B, 33rd Ohio Vol. Inf. 



—48- 
Robert Butfum, Co. H, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
William Bensin^er, Co. G, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 
Elisha H. Mason, Co. K, 21st Ohio Vol. Inf. 

This monument was unveiled May 80th, 1891, with 
appropriate ceremonies, including an eloquent ora- 
tion by Hon. J. B. Foraker. 




AK, like surgery, is a painful and dangerous 
remedy for human ills, but oftentimes the 
most effective. This baptism of fire conse- 
crated the sons and daughters of this great 
nation to the advancement of Christian civilization 
and the betterment of the condition of our fellow-men 
less fortunately situated, so that we have grown 
from "strength to strength." 

"Instead of the thorn" has "come up the fir tree," 
and "instead of the brier" has "come up the myrtle 
tree." Let us hope we may with truth quote the re- 
maining words of the Prophet Isaiah, "and it shall 
be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign 
that shall not be cut olf." 

The fraternal ties so rudely severed in 1861 by the 
firing on Fort Sumter were cemented in the blood of 
brothers, and have grown stronger with the passing 
years until, in the words of that immortal American, 
Daniel Webster, the watch-word North and South, 
East and West is — 

" Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and 
inseparable." 





Capt. William J. Whitsitt 
1904 



—50— 
SKETCH OF CAPT. W. J. WHITSITT. 

The early life of William J. Whitsitt was well cal- 
culated to prepare him for the hardships and priva- 
tions of war, and this training, together with the 
blood of a heroic American ancestry, made of him 
the type of strong manhood he is today. 

Any student of history and human nature who is 
privileged to sit by his spacious fireside in winter or 
on his broad verandah in summer, at his home in 
Ringgold, Ga., cannot but be entertained and charmed 
if he will persuade Captain Whitsitt to tell of his 
early life among the Cherokee Indians and of his war- 
time and subsequent life. In his retentive memory 
there is material for a dozen romances full of humor- 
ous and pathetic incidents, dramatic situations and 
tragic climaxes. 

He was born in Orange County, North. Carolina, 
October 7th, 1831, and came to North Georgia when 
three years old, with his father and mother, who 
were on their way to Mississippi but stopped in the 
Cherokee Indian Reservation, where his father died 
and was buried. His mother, a woman of strong 
character and remarkable intellect, remained with 
her children, her slaves and other property, culti- 
vating at first the lands of friendly Indians, and 
finally acquired a large tract of her own by purchase, 
when the Indians were removed. 

He enlisted at the outbreak of the war as a private 
in Company B, 1st Georgia Battalion, and soon rose 
to the rank of Captain in the First Confederate 
Georgia Regiment. 

He has been honored by his fellow-citizens of Ca- 
toosa County with the offices of Sheriff, County 
Treasurer and Judge of the Inferior Court, and is 
universally respected within his sphere of influence. 



-51- 



SKETCH OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM A. FULLER. 

William Allen Fuller was born in Henry County, 
Georgia, April 15tb, 1836. 

He traces his paternal ancestry to Gabriel Fuller, 
who was born in Scotland, 1709, and settled in South 
Carolina in 1740. His grandfather, John Fuller, 
served under General Washington in the Revolu- 
tionary war, and was in the battle of Camden under 
General Gates. 

On his mother's side Captain Fuller is descended 
from the Allen family of Virginia, and related to 
Ethen Allen of Revolutionary war fame. He left his 
father's farm at the age of nineteen years and imme- 
diately entered the service of the Western & Atlan- 
tic Railroad, in which service he remained until many 
years after the war. 

He was commissioned Captain in 1863 by Governor 
Joseph E. Brown in recognition of his services in 
defeating the objects of the Andrews Raid. After 
the war, he entered the mercantile business in At- 
lanta, and retired a few years ago Avith a comfortable 
fortune. His hospitable homo on Washington street, 
in Atlanta, is a favorite rendezvous for veterans of 
both sides, especially the survivors of the Andrews 
Raid, with whom he delights in rehearsing the thrill- 
ing incidents of that memorable event. The "sun- 
set of life" finds him enjoying to an exceptional de- 
gree the fruits of his labors, and he well deserves the 
high es-teem in which he is held by the citizens of 
Atlanta. 




Capt. William A. Fuller 
From a daguerreotype taken in i860 




Capt. William A. Fuller 
March, 1904 



MAY 25 1904 



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